You will find that most younger users prefer gore and violence in movies and shows that are similar to The Walking Dead. Story lines are really optional to that demographic unless it includes the gore and violence, but then it is treated only as a bonus to the show.

Understand I am not speaking insultingly toward those who prefer gore and violence, just explaining that there is a difference in tastes. I normally never like zombie movies/shows, but I do like post-apocalyptic movies and shows with a solid story line.

People who hear about TWD tend to stereotype it as yet-another-hack-and-slash zombiefest. TWD is great because it puts the audience through a what-if scenario of a post apocalyptic event. It relates the psychological and physically draining realities of living and surviving in an environment outside of our normal every day comfort zone.

Older people who have likely experienced mini-events through natural disasters where life changed abruptly before returning to normal realize that life could change without warning. Watching shows like the TWD gives you a chance to see how people "might" react and examples of what they may deal with that could be applied to apocalyptic events that go well beyond a "zombie" apocalypse.

You will find that most younger users prefer gore and violence in movies and shows that are similar to The Walking Dead. Story lines are really optional to that demographic unless it includes the gore and violence, but then it is treated only as a bonus to the show.

Understand I am not speaking insultingly toward those who prefer gore and violence, just explaining that there is a difference in tastes. I normally never like zombie movies/shows, but I do like post-apocalyptic movies and shows with a solid story line.

People who hear about TWD tend to stereotype it as yet-another-hack-and-slash zombiefest. TWD is great because it puts the audience through a what-if scenario of a post apocalyptic event. It relates the psychological and physically draining realities of living and surviving in an environment outside of our normal every day comfort zone.

Older people who have likely experienced mini-events through natural disasters where life changed abruptly before returning to normal realize that life could change without warning. Watching shows like the TWD gives you a chance to see how people "might" react and examples of what they may deal with that could be applied to apocalyptic events that go well beyond a "zombie" apocalypse.

/reality

Good observation. I have found that as I have gotten older,.my taste in movies and TV shows have matured as well. TWD has enough zombie killing for my taste, but the storyline is much more important. Some of my favorite action movies that I watched when I was younger seems silly now.

He was the only character I cared for outside of Shane. Both now dead. Was epic when TDog said "Let's head east" and then everyone ignores him. Funny thing is that would have been the right move. If Rick dies I will jump back in, absolutely despise that character.

Although with the worst TV character I have ever witnessed, Lori, dead I might give it another shot down the road.

That is odd. Rick is the main character of the series end of the story so he isn't going anywhere. T-dog was a good character but not crucial to the story and Shane wasn't either. Darryl is the best character on the show.

There's probably some merit to that thought. Frank D. is a terrific at setting up the story and then letting the characters work through it, even if it takes what seems to be inordinate amount of time from the viewers perspective.

And that "sword" cuts both ways. It make for smoother and more realistic exchanges between characters, but it also makes for some awfully drown-out sequences like what we experienced in the first half of season 2.

There's probably some merit to that thought. Frank D. is a terrific at setting up the story and then letting the characters work through it, even if it takes what seems to be inordinate amount of time from the viewers perspective.

And that "sword" cuts both ways. It make for smoother and more realistic exchanges between characters, but it also makes for some awfully drown-out sequences like what we experienced in the first half of season 2.

I'm pretty sure the budget consequences of that are why Darabont was fired.

Although I'm not a huge fan of slow, drawn out stuff, it was way better than these instant caricatures, like Michonne, that popped up. The characters since then have just been way too over the top for my tastes. It seems like the writers/producers want to make every line memorable, and that just isn't realistic, especially when these characters are supposed to be believable.

I'm pretty sure the budget consequences of that are why Darabont was fired.

Although I'm not a huge fan of slow, drawn out stuff, it was way better than these instant caricatures, like Michonne, that popped up. The characters since then have just been way too over the top for my tastes. It seems like the writers/producers want to make every line memorable, and that just isn't realistic, especially when these characters are supposed to be believable.

I agree on the Michonne thing... T-dogg was a "talking machine" compared to the number of lines Michonne has received.

You will find that most younger users prefer gore and violence in movies and shows that are similar to The Walking Dead. Story lines are really optional to that demographic unless it includes the gore and violence, but then it is treated only as a bonus to the show.

Understand I am not speaking insultingly toward those who prefer gore and violence, just explaining that there is a difference in tastes. I normally never like zombie movies/shows, but I do like post-apocalyptic movies and shows with a solid story line.

People who hear about TWD tend to stereotype it as yet-another-hack-and-slash zombiefest. TWD is great because it puts the audience through a what-if scenario of a post apocalyptic event. It relates the psychological and physically draining realities of living and surviving in an environment outside of our normal every day comfort zone.

Older people who have likely experienced mini-events through natural disasters where life changed abruptly before returning to normal realize that life could change without warning. Watching shows like the TWD gives you a chance to see how people "might" react and examples of what they may deal with that could be applied to apocalyptic events that go well beyond a "zombie" apocalypse.

/reality

While a lot of what you say is true, my problem with the show IS the storyline. It's not very good. There is a lot of plot induced stupidity, and a lot of the acting (whether the actors fault, or the scripts) is really shoddy ESPECIALLY in season 2. I like Post-apocalyptic and zombie stuff, but there is really nothing significant about this show that we have not seen 100 times in zombie movies.

A clipping from a review about the use of random nobody characters of fodder that I found amusing.

It's like this: Have you ever come home after a hard day at work, and the first thing you do is to gather up everything you could possibly need -- phone, laptop, remote, beer, Hot Pockets, Kleenex, bail cash -- and put it all by the couch, just so you won't have to get up for the next few hours? Well, that's what the writers of The Walking Dead did, right at the start of both seasons. They carefully collected and arranged their Red Shirts within easy reach, so that they could lazily punctuate a scene with a meaningless death whenever they needed it. Have to build some tension in a hurry? Throw a handful of nameless campsite folks to the zombie hordes. Just realized the fishing episode was mind-numbingly boring? Hurl one of the racist caricatures to the undead. Not sure how to write a compelling chase scene? Start whipping Hershel's anonymous family members at the undead like batteries at a riot cop.

The show is full of incredibly lazy writing. It makes it hard to watch.

While a lot of what you say is true, my problem with the show IS the storyline. It's not very good. There is a lot of plot induced stupidity, and a lot of the acting (whether the actors fault, or the scripts) is really shoddy ESPECIALLY in season 2. I like Post-apocalyptic and zombie stuff, but there is really nothing significant about this show that we have not seen 100 times in zombie movies.

A clipping from a review about the use of random nobody characters of fodder that I found amusing.

It's like this: Have you ever come home after a hard day at work, and the first thing you do is to gather up everything you could possibly need -- phone, laptop, remote, beer, Hot Pockets, Kleenex, bail cash -- and put it all by the couch, just so you won't have to get up for the next few hours? Well, that's what the writers of The Walking Dead did, right at the start of both seasons. They carefully collected and arranged their Red Shirts within easy reach, so that they could lazily punctuate a scene with a meaningless death whenever they needed it. Have to build some tension in a hurry? Throw a handful of nameless campsite folks to the zombie hordes. Just realized the fishing episode was mind-numbingly boring? Hurl one of the racist caricatures to the undead. Not sure how to write a compelling chase scene? Start whipping Hershel's anonymous family members at the undead like batteries at a riot cop.

The show is full of incredibly lazy writing. It makes it hard to watch.

You make some good points, but keep in mind the person watching this show isn't likely someone who's a fan of "Masterpiece Theater."